The military, architectural, and sociocultural evolution of the Davutpaşa Barracks, whose construction began during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II, was brought to light through a photography exhibition organized by the YTÜ Sultan Abdulhamid II Application and Research Center. Prepared to mark the 200th anniversary of the barracks’ founding, the exhibition—comprising 42 archival-quality photographs—will be open to visitors at the historic Sancak Mansion until May 10.

The Davutpaşa Barracks, located in the Davutpaşa region—a strategic center from the Byzantine Empire through the Ottoman period and, starting in the 15th century, the assembly point for the army prior to campaigns in Rumelia—was begun in 1826 as part of Sultan Mahmud II’s military reforms. The barracks’ two-century history has been documented through a special project prepared by Yıldız Technical University (YTÜ) Sultan Abdulhamid II Application and Research Center. 

The “200th Anniversary of the Davutpaşa Barracks” Photography Exhibition, realized with the support of YTÜ Yıldız Technopark and curated by İsmail Coşkun, a faculty member at the Faculty of Art and Design, was opened to the public at a ceremony held at the historic Sancak Pavilion, attended by YTÜ Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Ahmet Göksel Ağargün and Prof. Dr. Güleda Engin, along with Prof. Dr. Mustafa Gündüz, Director of the Sultan II. Abdülhamid Application and Research Center. 

Spanning a wide range from the complex’s main structure, the Otağ-ı Hümâyûn, to the “Stone Building,” from the historic hamam to the Sancak Mansion, and from the towers that no longer exist to the animal hospital, the selection presents the barracks’ physical and cultural transformation from past to present within a chronological framework.

Full support for historical heritage from academic leadership

Speaking at the exhibition’s opening, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Güleda Engin noted that both campuses are exceptional living spaces with their own historical identities. Highlighting the importance of the university’s applied research centers producing such tangible outcomes, Engin expressed her satisfaction with the revitalization of valuable spaces like the Sancak Mansion—brought back to life through restoration—through such high-quality initiatives, and congratulated those who contributed to the effort. Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Göksel Ağargün, who also spoke at the event, wished the exhibition success and thanked the academic staff and all stakeholders for their contributions to this project, which keeps historical memory alive.

Visual Diplomacy and the Traces of Lost Structures

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Gündüz, Director of the Sultan II. Abdülhamid Application and Research Center, who spoke at the exhibition’s opening, noted that the exhibition reflects not only the military modernization of the Ottoman Empire but also the reforms in the social sphere. Recalling that Sultan Abdulhamid II utilized photographic technology as a strategic tool for image and diplomacy long before the invention of cinema and television, Prof. Dr. Gündüz noted that there are over 40,000 photographs from that period in libraries around the world.

The exhibition, which blends the past with the present, highlights how structures that have since disappeared are made visible again through archival documents. In particular, the animal hospital serving cavalry units and the towers at the corners of barracks—identified in gift albums sent to the U.S. Library of Congress during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II—were presented to the public in such detail for the first time through visual sources. Additionally, a comprehensive exhibition catalog was prepared to ensure that the works in the exhibition can be passed on to future generations as a lasting legacy.

The first scientific institution to study this period

The YTÜ Sultan II. Abdülhamid Application and Research Center, which brought the exhibition to life, holds the distinction of being the first scientific research center established in Turkey to study this period independently. Founded in 2015, the center continues to contribute to the national and international academic community by examining historical processes, institutions, and figures through an interdisciplinary and objective approach based on primary archival sources.